INSIGHTS TOOLS
Marketing
Communications: How
To Generate Insights
For Greater Campaigns
By Susan Makau
I
n the last issue, I wrote on the power
of Mindscapes Tools. These are
thinking patterns and methodology
derived from the analysis of award-
winning campaigns from the highest
ranks, including Cannes Lions and Grand
Prix. These are campaigns that have been
awarded not just for their innovation
and creativity but also, effectiveness and
impact in generating unprecedented
growth for brands.
The result of the analysis is the
development of thinking clusters which
are then developed into tools that one
can learn to enhance creativity. They
are categorized into 3 groups: Insights,
Innovation and Communication.
In May the International School of
Advertising hosted another series of
Mindscapes Tool Workshop here in
Kenya. Run by the founder, Yonathan
Dominitz, this was the 5th series of
annual workshops which are becoming
increasingly popular as agencies and
clients adopt the tools and see the
successful results.
On day one, we focused on Insights
tools which what I will broadly cover
here. Even before we look at some of the
tools we learnt, it’s interesting to note
that there is quite a lot of confusion and
misunderstanding around this term.
Most agencies have a ‘Client Brief ’
template. It guides clients in briefing
their agencies more effectively, and
ensures there is a common understanding
between the two parties. Though this does
not always happen! But that’s a story for
another day.
Typically, on the template will be the
question, ‘what is the consumer insight’?
In my experience in Agency, it was very
rare that a real insight was provided.
Most of the time, the agency had to go
back and find one. In hindsight I don’t
believe it’s for the client to crack this. It
In my experience in Agency, it was very
rare that a real insight was provided. Most
of the time, the agency had to go back and
find one. In hindsight I don’t believe it’s for
the client to crack this. It is the responsi-
bility of the agency as the communication
partner as it forms the basis of messaging
the brand proposition in a manner that con-
nects with the consumer. Best case scenario
is to crack it together.
88 MAL30/19 ISSUE
is the responsibility of the agency as the
communication partner as it forms the
basis of messaging the brand proposition
in a manner that connects with the
consumer. Best case scenario is to crack it
together.
So, what exactly is an insight? Let’s start
with what it’s not. An insight is not
information. For example, ‘most black
skinned women have oily skin’, that is not
an insight. It’s also not an observation.
For example, ‘Nairobi has a lot of traffic
during weekdays’. That is not an insight.
According to Mindscapes Tools, Insights
is a chain of revelations. It’s a series
of revelations that are made from one
revelation to the next. Mindscapes have
developed a simple approach that helps
one reveal an insight. This is ‘OUA’,
meaning Observation, Understanding and
Articulation.
Observations are simple truths about
situations, about people; what they do,
think, feel and know in our every day-
to-day lives. It does not require any form
of research. Although research can be
used to validate, through quantifying the
observation. However, it’s obvious.
Now these observations provoke a new
revelation. This means that we start to see
this observation differently. This can be a
revelation about why people behave the
way they do, think the way they think, or
feel the way they feel. Note that this is not
about looking for something that is pre-
determined, you are looking for what you
don’t know. It’s a revelation!